51% of American youth think "Israel" should "be ended": survey
3 Min Read
A recent poll by Harvard-Harris demonstrates a clear majority among Americans between 18-24 years old, calling for "an end to Israel" and the return of the Palestinian land to the Palestinian people.
-
Protesters rally during a pro-Palestinian demonstration asking for a cease-fire in Gaza at Union Station in Washington, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. (AP)
In a recent poll by Harvard-Harris, a majority of young Americans said they believe that the occupation state of "Israel" should "be ended" and that the Palestinian land should be given back to "Hamas and the Palestinians."
The survey found that 51% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 said they believed the solution to the Palestinian issue was for “Israel to be ended and given to Hamas - the Palestinian Resistance movement - and the Palestinians.”
Only 32% said they believed in a "two-state solution", and just 17% said other Arab states should be asked to "absorb Palestinian populations".
Regarding some of the same demographic, 60% said Hamas’ Oct 7 operation could be “justified by the grievance of Palestinians” — a position held by 27% of Americans overall.
Read next: Gallup poll shows split opinion in US regarding Israeli war on Gaza
At the same time, 58% of 18-24-year-olds agreed that “Hamas would like to commit genocide" against settlers in "Israel.”
When questioned about whether "Israel" is engaged in genocide in Gaza or is merely "defending itself and targeting Hamas", 60% of Americans aged 18-24 expressed the view that "Israel" is committing genocide. Additionally, 53% of young Americans asserted that students should have the freedom to advocate for the "genocide of Jews" without facing consequences.
Moreover, 67% of 18-24-year-olds said they believed settlers “should be treated as oppressors” — a position which 73% of Americans disagreed with and called a “false ideology.”
Nevertheless, these results align with previous research indicating that young Americans tend to hold more pro-Hamas sentiments compared to other demographic groups.
Read next: Support for 'Israel' on the decline among UK, US citizens: Poll
This comes after a recent poll by Pew Research Center, stating that only a third of Americans approve of the Biden administration's reaction to the war on Gaza.
With Republicans, 51% of respondents disapprove while only 28% approve. Democrats, meanwhile, stand further divided: 44% approve, 33% disapprove, and 22% are undecided.
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza and the US backing of such aggression has been the biggest foreign policy challenge for the current administration, followed by the Ukraine war.
In late November, a Quinnipiac survey indicated that younger voters had a much higher pro-Palestine stance than older voters, warning the Democratic Party could lose their support.
Respondents under 30 were the most critical of Biden of all age groups, with only 19% approving of the White House reaction and 46% disapproving. Overall, older generations were less unfavorable in the poll.
